Brisa Hennessy and her Rip Curl GPS watch sharing the stoke. Photo: @Mick_curley_photo
About a month ago, I received an amazing gift from a friend: the Rip Curl GPS watch. Let me begin by saying that I am not here to discuss the technical features – I’ll leave that up to the techheads. Plus, Toby Aimer from The Inertia did a product review on it and included some specs a few months ago. My intention, however, is to simply shed light on the pure stoke it has given me, which, in turn, will hopefully inspire others to do the same.
I wear the watch in every kind of surf – 1 foot or 6 feet, rain or shine. It is particularly rewarding to know that by a few clicks of a button the watch shows that I have surfed 30 times, 65 counted waves, 120 m as the longest ride, and 22.5km/h top speed achieved. Living in the often-chaotic city of Sydney and working a full time, high-pressured job, it is only natural to think of surfing all day. With all the noise around me, a quick look at the stats brings me back to those moments and puts a smile on my face.
Of course I remember the great rides I had in my mind – they get bigger and bigger every time I replay them in my head. But who doesn’t do that? I am now able I relive those waves in detail on an iPhone app. I write myself detailed notes, rate my performance, and view the red and blue lines that illustrate my rides. Like my first ever barrel at Manly the other day. It was rewarding enough to get this wave with no one else to see it, but I was able to share this experience with my friends and family via the watch.
The watch has helped me analyze my performance. It has enabled me to realize – with the help of the advice given from friends – that you need the right board for the right wave. It took me a long time to figure that out, but I am now able to revisit my sessions and evaluate what equipment, if any, could have encouraged optimal performance. Additionally, the info on tide, time of day, and wind has made me more aware of my local breaks.
The watch has facilitated an unexplainable surf stoke that I carry in and out of the water. Simply seeing my wave count increase by one puts a big smile on my face. Of course I don’t need a watch to tell me that I got a good wave, but it has become a utility for progression, as I compete with no one other than myself. Above all, the watch has become my little time capsule of pure surf stoke that I am able to share with others. And hopefully you, too, will be able to do the same.
